Wire fabric.



H. E. WHITE.

WIRE FABRIG.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1909. 955, 1 1 0. Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

9 F51. g V gyl 4 2 b I 5 Ki I A ;L 1 w F? 3. J F 92 J a .Fg-ZM A 5. gb5b Fig.1 I III 1 i I 2 2 JFZa I] i? g 6 41 6S WITNESSES I J I s PAT NTOFFICE.

EEnEEnr E. WHITE, or YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL FIRE-1rnooriNe COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CQRPORATION or 01110.

WIRE FABRIC.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. WHITE, of Youngstown, in the county ofMahoning and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin fire Fabric, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 1 are detail viewsshowing one method of joining the cross wires in accordance with myinvention; and Figs. 2, 2, 3, 3, 4 and 5 are similar views showing otherforms of the invention.

My invention relates to the manufacture of welded. wire fabric, whereinsome of the wires are of much smaller diameter than other wires to whichthey are welded.

In using electric welding for wire fabrics, it has been found that whereit is attempted to weld a relatively small. wire to a relatively largewire, the smaller wire will burn or melt away before the larger wire hasbeen brought to the melting temperature. In certain wire fabrics,especially those employcd for concrete reinforcing, it is very desirableto use relatively large wires extending in one direction and relativelysmall wires which connect them and hold them in position.

My invention is designed to overcome the .difiiculty with electricwelding in such fabrics, and to provide for the satisfactory -"weldingof a relatively small wire to a relatively large one.

To that end, the invention consists in connecting the larger with thesmaller wire by means of an intermediate member which is properlyproportioned so that it will become welded to both the larger and thesmaller wire. The intermediate member may consist of a wire of adiameter intermediate between the two wires to be welded or it mayconsist of a member having diiferent, diameters-a larger diameter whereit is welded to the larger wire and a smaller diameter where it iswelded to the smaller wire.

In the drawing, referring to Figs. 1 and 1, 2 represents the largerwire, 3 the smaller connecting wire, and 4; the intermediate wire of adiameter intermediate between that of the wires 2 and 3. In this form,the

intermediate wire 4 is provided with later- Specification of LettersPatent. Patented Apr, 12, 1910, Application filed February 18, 1909.

Serial No. 478,551.

ally bent portions 5 and 6, to which'the wire 3 is welded, while itsintermediate portion is welded to the larger wire 2. Owing to theconnecting wire 4: being of a size intermediate between the other wires,it may be satisfactorily welded to each by the ordinary electric weldingprocess.

In Figs. 2 and 2 I show another form of the invention, where 2 are thelarger wires, 3 the smaller wires, and 4? the intermediate wires. Inthis case, the smaller wire 3 is welded to the intermediate wire 45* atone point only instead of at two points, as in the form of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 3 and 3 I show a form similar to that of Fig. 1, except thatthe legs 5 and 6" of the intermediate wire 4: are bent downwardly fromthe plane of the larger wires2 to bring the plane of the smaller wires3' closely to the plane of the larger wires.

In the form of Fig. 4, the intermediate wires 4 are in the form of ringsor loops, being welded at two points to thelarger wires 2 and at twopoints to the smaller wires 3.

In Fig. 5, 2 is the larger Wire, 3 the smaller wire, and'et is theintermediate connector, consisting of a wire which is tapered towardeach end, so that its larger portion is electrically welded to thelarger wire 2, while its reduced end portions are welded to i thesmaller wire 3. 7-

The advantage of my invention results from the use of the intermediateconnector which is so proportioned that it may be properly welded by theordinary electrical Welding process to both wires. By means of thisinvention, a fabric may be made in which large wires may be used forcarrying strains, such as in concrete reinforces, while the smallerwires may be usedfor joining and connecting them in place, thus reducingthe expense and weight, and properly holding the large wires inposition. In this way the ordinary electric welding may be applied tosuch fabrics.

By the term wire herein, I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself to wires of circular cross section, inasmuch as the wire may becircular or in the form of a :105

flat strip or other cross-sectional shape.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the intermediateconnector or connectors, as well as in the size and arrangement of theWires, the meshes, etc., without departing from my invention. "1 claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a wire fabric composed ofintercrossing Wires of different diameters, and connecting members atthe intersections, said connecting members welded to, both the crossingmem bers and consisting of metal pieces having a cross section less thanthat of one of the cross members and greater than that of the other ofsaid members; substantially as described.

2. As a new artlcle of manufacture, a wire fabric composed ofintercrosslng w1res of difierent diameters, and connecting members atthe intersections, said connecting members welded to both the crossingmembers and consisting of short pieces of wire having a cross sectionless than that of one of, the cross members and greater than that of theother of said members; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HERBERT E. \VHITE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. CARR, O D. KAISER.

